Monday Vote To Select New UN Secretary-General

Security Council To Vote Formally On Monday To Select New UN Secretary-General

New York, Oct 3 2006 6:00PM

The Security Council will hold a formal vote on Monday morning to select a new Secretary-General of the United Nations to recommend to the General Assembly for approval, the Council’s President for the month of October said today.

Kenzo Oshima, Ambassador of Japan, told journalists as he outlined the Council work programme for October that a vote has been scheduled for Monday morning, although it has not yet been determined whether the Council will send a name for approval to the Assembly – which must formally elect the Secretary-General – on the same day.

After four informal polls this year, five candidates officially remain in the race to replace Kofi Annan as Secretary-General when he steps down at the end of his term on 31 December.

In response to reporters’ questions, Mr. Oshima said he agreed there was “room for further improvement” in the selection process, although he said that efforts had been made to make the current process more transparent than those of the past.

Mr. Oshima noted that candidates had attended the meetings of regional groups and other organizations, inside and outside UN Headquarters in New York, and taken the opportunity to meet with members of those groups.

Turning to the rest of the Council’s workload, the Japanese Ambassador said the conflict in Sudan’s Darfur region, the ongoing problems in the Middle East and the nuclear issue with the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK) were among the key items for discussions this month.

He also said consultations would be held later this month about the scheduling of a new date for presidential elections in Côte d’Ivoire, which has been beset by renewed tensions in recent months. The polls had been set for the end of October.

Mr. Oshima added that the Council will hold a thematic debate this month on the role of women in consolidating peace and security.

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